Tornado and Hail in Kentucky, May 23, 2011

Name: Tornado and Hail in Kentucky, May 23, 2011
Start: 2011-05-23T17:47
End: 2011-05-23T18:27
Location: Kentucky

May 23, 2011 · NWS PAH · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

A large cluster of thunderstorms increased in coverage and intensity as it accelerated eastward into a rapidly destabilizing air mass. The activity was closely related to a mid-level shortwave trough moving across Iowa and Missouri, along with a low level wind maximum.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $354,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 23, 1:38 PM CST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 23, 1:38 PM CST, 4 hours 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
238 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

.DISCUSSION...
ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THE REST OF THE WEEK.  SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO INTERMITTENTLY DEVELOP ALONG A
STATIONARY FRONT...CURRENTLY EXTENDING FROM THE GREAT LAKES REGION
INTO NORTHERN MISSOURI TO THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE...AND MOVE EAST
INTO THE PAH FORECAST AREA.  AFTER A ROUND OF SHOWERS AND STORMS
TODAY...NAM...GFS AND ECMWF ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT OF DEVELOPING
ANOTHER COMPLEX IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI/NORTHERN ARKANSAS EARLY THIS
EVENING...AFFECTING THE PAH FA LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.
WENT WITH LIKELY POPS ACROSS ALL OF THE FA TONIGHT.  FOR
TUESDAY...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DAY
INTO THE EVENING AND WENT WITH CHANCE POPS.

BY LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...LOW PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL
FINALLY BEGIN TO PUSH SLOWLY EAST..AND SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM
CHANCES WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE.  HIGH CHANCE POPS BY LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT WILL INCREASE TO AT LEAST LIKELY WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AS THE LOW MOVES INTO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.  NAM AND
ECMWF SHOW THE LOW OVER THE ST. LOUIS AREA BY 12Z THURSDAY...WHILE
THE GFS HAS THE LOW FARTHER SOUTH OVER THE PAH FA AT THE SAME TIME.
IN EITHER CASE...KEPT LIKELY POPS FOR THURSDAY AS THE LOW MOVES
ACROSS OR JUST NORTH OF THE PAH FA.  POPS GRADUALLY TAPER OFF
FROM WEST TO EAST THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY WITH THE LOW FINALLY
WELL EAST OF OUR REGION BY 00Z SATURDAY.  GFS SHOWS A SECONDARY LOW
BRINGING A QUICK SHOT OF PRECIP ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT..SO
WENT WITH SOME SLIGHT CHANCE POPS.

FOR THE WEEKEND...LATEST ECMWF IS NOW GOING DRIER THAN THE PREVIOUS
RUN...SO IT IS NOW IN BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE GFS WHICH BUILDS A
RIDGE OVER THE REGION.  WENT WITH A DRY AND WARMER FORECAST THROUGH
MONDAY...WHICH LOOKS TO BE AN IDEAL HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
HOWEVER...MODELS HAVE NOT BEEN TOTALLY CONSISTENT...SO SOME
VARIATIONS TO THAT PART OF THE FORECAST WILL NOT BE A SURPRISE.

FOR NEAR TERM TEMPERATURES...MAV AND MET GUIDANCE ARE IN CLOSE
AGREEMENT...AND OVERALL STAYED WITHIN A COUPLE DEGREES OF GUIDANCE.
IN THE EXTENDED...WENT COOLER THAN MEX GUIDANCE FOR THURSDAY INTO
FRIDAY WITH EXPECTED ONGOING PRECIP AND CLOUD COVER.  WENT CLOSER TO
MEX VALUES OVER THE WEEKEND.

&&

.AVIATION...
PERSISTENT SSWRLY LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL CONTINUE TODAY. THE REGION
WILL REMAIN IN A WARM MOIST PATTERN...WITH INSTABILITY IN THE HEAT
OF THE DAY AND MID/UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES KICKING OFF DEEP MOIST
CONVECTION FROM TIME TO TIME. WHILE SHWRS AND TSTMS ARE POSSIBLE...
ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTN/EVE...IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHERE AND
WHEN THEY WILL OCCUR...SO THE TAFS HAVE ONLY A CB MENTION FOR THE
DAYTIME AND EVE. AN ATTEMPT AT PREDICTING TSTMS WAS MADE IN THE
LATTER SIX HRS OF THE TAFS...AS A MORE SIGNIFICANT SHRTWV IS
SUPPOSED TO PASS THROUGH.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...NONE.
MO...NONE.
IL...NONE.
IN...NONE.
&&

PUBLIC.....RST
AVIATION...JAP

Hazardous weather outlook, May 23, 3:22 AM CST, 14 hours 25 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
422 AM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-241000-
JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-
HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-
WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-
LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-
UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-
MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-
RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-
422 AM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE QUAD STATE THIS AFTERNOON WILL
BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD TONIGHT. A FEW SEVERE STORMS WILL BE
POSSIBLE. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERNS
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WHILE DAMAGING WINDS WILL BECOME THE
PRIMARY CONCERN AFTER MIDNIGHT. AN ISOLATED...BRIEF TORNADO CANNOT
BE RULED OUT AT ANY TIME. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ACCOMPANY
ALL THUNDERSTORMS.

PLEASE REFER TO RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION REGARDING AREA RIVER LEVELS AND FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS FORECAST TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
NIGHT. AS THE RESPONSIBLE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE
REGION WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...THE CHANCE FOR
THUNDERSTORMS AND SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE MAXIMIZED. AT THIS
TIME...SUPERCELLS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED
WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL
CONTINUE TO BE A CONCERN WITH THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD.

PLEASE REFER TO RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION REGARDING AREA RIVER LEVELS AND FLOODING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THE FORECAST CLOSELY AND BE PREPARED FOR
ACTIVATION AT ANY TIME FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

DRS

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 23, 2:49 PM CST, 2 hours 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
349 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0347 PM     HAIL             OAKLAND CITY            38.34N 87.35W
05/23/2011  E1.25 INCH       GIBSON             IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

DLL

Local storm report, May 23, 3:00 PM CST, 2 hours 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
400 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0357 PM     HAIL             EVANSVILLE              37.98N 87.54W
05/23/2011  E1.00 INCH       VANDERBURGH        IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

DLL

Local storm report, May 23, 3:45 PM CST, 2 hours 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
445 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0400 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NEW WELLS               37.56N 89.62W
05/23/2011                   CAPE GIRARDEAU     MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            FROM NEW WELLS TO THE PERRY COUNTY LINE...NUMEROUS TREES
            DOWN...3 TO 4 BARNS WITH ROOFS BLOWN OFF...SHINGLES OFF A
            FEW HOUSES

&&

DLL

Local storm report, May 23, 3:47 PM CST, 2 hours before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
447 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0425 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SIKESTON                36.88N 89.58W
05/23/2011                   SCOTT              MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            BILLBOARDS AND SIGNS BLOWN DOWN BETWEEN EXITS 61 AND 67
            ON INTERSTATE 55 BETWEEN SIKESTON AND MATTHEWS.

&&

DLL

Local storm report, May 23, 4:47 PM CST, 1 hour before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
547 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0525 PM     TSTM WND DMG     RIDGWAY                 37.80N 88.26W
05/23/2011                   GALLATIN           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SEVERAL POWER POLES DOWN

&&

DLL

Local storm report, May 23, 5:37 PM CST, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
637 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0530 PM     TSTM WND DMG     RIDGWAY                 37.80N 88.26W
05/23/2011                   GALLATIN           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            LATE REPORT...TIME ESTIMATED. EM REPORTED DAMAGE
            COUNTYWIDE. SEVERAL BARNS DAMAGED WITH NUMEROUS TREES
            SNAPPED OR DOWN. 2 MAIN AREAS...NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF
            RIDGWAY AND THE SECOND NEAR SHAWNEETOWN.

&&

SMITTY

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Trigg

When: May 23, 5:47 PM CST
Where: Trigg County, Cadiz
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $4,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.870, -87.820

A couple of trees were blown down.

Hail, Trigg

When: May 23, 5:49 PM CST
Where: Trigg County, Linton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.680, -87.900

Tornado, Christian

When: May 23, 6:10 PM CST to 6:27 PM CST
Where: Christian County, 2.93 mi SE of La Fayette to 3 mi NW of Pembroke
Rating: EF2
Path length: 17.3 mi
Path width: 175 yd
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $350,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 36.638, -87.615

This tornado crossed into Kentucky from Stewart County, Tennessee. Several barns and grain bins were damaged or destroyed. A dairy barn with 45 cows inside was destroyed. Although all the cows were trapped under the collapsed barn, only two of the cows were injured. One of the cows was thrown 500 feet from its stall. Numerous large trees were snapped or uprooted. A tractor-trailer rig hauling freight was overturned at mile-marker 85 on Interstate 24. The driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to a regional hospital. The roof was torn from an agricultural chemical storage building. A tool barn was destroyed. At a farm near Pembroke, a large tree fell on a house, a large barn was flattened, and two large grain bins were destroyed. Peak winds were estimated near 120 mph, but the majority of the damage path was EF-1. The average path width was 150 yards.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kentucky in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Kentucky, 2011 Warnings in Kentucky, May 2011

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 301303, 301295, 301297.